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Snoqualmie Tribe Gives $250,000 in Aid for Washington Fire Victims

As the Carlton Complex of fires rages on in Washington State at just 67 percent containment, the Snoqualmie Tribe has announced a $250,000 donation for relief efforts.

The tribe will donate $200,000 to the American Red Cross Eastern Washington Region, earmarked for the 2014 fire victims, and $50,000 to Washington Animal Search and Rescue, according to a statement.

“We are all part of a larger community, and felt in a time like this that it is important to reach out and help those in need,” said Snoqualmie Tribe Chairwoman Carolyn Lubenau in a statement. “Our hearts go out to all of those affected by this massive fire, and hope that our contributions can help in the recovery and healing process.”

The Puyallup Tribe has also offered stepped forward with assistance, accepting donations of material supplies at its Emerald Queen Casino when the fires first broke out.

The fire, the largest in Washington State’s history, covered 250,806 acres—392 square miles—as of July 29, according to the incident reporting service InciWeb, with 3,142 personnel battling the massive blaze. While the acreage is less than the 395,747-acre Buzzard Complex fire that was recently put out in neighboring Oregon, containment on the Carlton fire is not expected until August 2, InciWeb predicted.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have suffered a loss due to the fire and also to those working so diligently to put it out,” Lubenau said in the tribe’s statement.

Both fires were caused by lightning, as were a number of others that have been burning across Washington and Oregon since mid-July. Together the fires, about 20 of them at one point, have torched nearly a million acres, the Snoqualmie noted in their statement. Seven still burn in Washington, with Carlton being the largest. That one started as four separate fires on July 14 and merged about a week later, according to InciWeb.